MACC’s ‘blockbuster movie’
Malaysians! Have you seen the current Malaysian “blockbuster movie” produced by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)?
No News Is Bad News is referring to the RM114 million seized from Sabah Water Department director and deputy.
Wow! What a “show” displaying all the luxury cars, jewellery and hard cash for the media.
Well, MACC, if you think this will raise or enhance your image and gain the confidence of Malaysians in the fight against graft, you are absolutely wrong.
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| A golden and sparkling display by the MACC |
And if you think this can distract the rakyat (people) and the world’s attention from your failure to probe, arrest and prosecute the culprit/s behind the alleged 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)-linked multi-billion-dollar/ringgit international money-laundering scandal, you are again damn wrong!
In fact, the seizure is only “the tip of the iceberg”, so to speak, in corrupt Malaysians and Malaysia.
Imagine, the seizure is only from two ikan bilis (anchovies), a department director and deputy of a Sabah state entity. Imagine how much can be seized from all the “sharks” in the country for national social and infrastructure development.
And to attribute to what Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Pribumi) Muhyiddin Yassin said in a ceramah in Pasir Gudang (Johor) on Sept 25, 2016 (https://youtu.be/6TgdraQIlFo), one would need thousands of lorries to transport the billions linked to 1MDB”.
And the suspected “sharks” are easily identified by their luxurious lifestyle - luxury cars, super mansions, for all things branded. Hey! Has the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) really probed the really, really super rich income tax returns?
And themalaymailonline.com report dated July 8, 2015, titled “Malay rulers demand Putrajaya punish culprits in 1MDB scandal” says it all!
Is the MACC truly independent from the Executive? Does it have the courage to go after the “sharks” and those holding powerful positions in both the private and public sectors?
We leave it to Malaysians to answer the above two questions.
And we believe the only way for the MACC to truly win the confidence of Malaysians in the fight against graft is to go after the 1MDB culprit/s behind the world’s biggest ever money-laundering scandal.
Read these two reports by The Star online and themalaymailonline.com:
"Nation
Home > News > Nation
Thursday, 6 October 2016
RM114mil seized from Sabah Water Department director and deputy
Lap of luxury: The MACC displaying the cars seized from both the director and his deputy during the press conference in Kota Kinabalu.
KOTA KINABALU: It came as a shock to even the most seasoned graft-busters.
In the biggest ever seizure in its 49-year history, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC, formerly the Anti-Corruption Agency) recovered RM114mil from the top two officials of the Sabah Water Department – including RM53.7mil in cold hard cash that took more than 30 officers 15 hours to count.
Also recovered from the homes and offices of the department’s director and his deputy were nine mostly luxury vehicles, expensive watches, jewellery and 94 high-end handbags.
The cash – RM45mil seized from the director and RM7.5mil from his deputy – was found stashed inside safes, cupboards, drawers and also a car boot, according to the MACC.
Also seized was RM1.18mil in over half-a-dozen foreign currencies.
The two senior state civil officers were arrested yesterday and remanded for a week for investigations into alleged kickbacks involving RM3.3bil worth of federal projects.
“It is the highest amount of cash we have ever recovered in our history as MACC or when we were known as the Anti-Corruption Agency,” newly-promoted MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki told a news conference here.
In fact, the seizure is only “the tip of the iceberg”, so to speak, in corrupt Malaysians and Malaysia.
Imagine, the seizure is only from two ikan bilis (anchovies), a department director and deputy of a Sabah state entity. Imagine how much can be seized from all the “sharks” in the country for national social and infrastructure development.
 |
| Luxury cars seized from a department director and deputy director of a Sabah state entity |
And the suspected “sharks” are easily identified by their luxurious lifestyle - luxury cars, super mansions, for all things branded. Hey! Has the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) really probed the really, really super rich income tax returns?
And themalaymailonline.com report dated July 8, 2015, titled “Malay rulers demand Putrajaya punish culprits in 1MDB scandal” says it all!
Is the MACC truly independent from the Executive? Does it have the courage to go after the “sharks” and those holding powerful positions in both the private and public sectors?
We leave it to Malaysians to answer the above two questions.
And we believe the only way for the MACC to truly win the confidence of Malaysians in the fight against graft is to go after the 1MDB culprit/s behind the world’s biggest ever money-laundering scandal.
Read these two reports by The Star online and themalaymailonline.com:
"Nation
Home > News > Nation
Thursday, 6 October 2016
RM114mil seized from Sabah Water Department director and deputy
Lap of luxury: The MACC displaying the cars seized from both the director and his deputy during the press conference in Kota Kinabalu.
KOTA KINABALU: It came as a shock to even the most seasoned graft-busters.
In the biggest ever seizure in its 49-year history, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC, formerly the Anti-Corruption Agency) recovered RM114mil from the top two officials of the Sabah Water Department – including RM53.7mil in cold hard cash that took more than 30 officers 15 hours to count.
Also recovered from the homes and offices of the department’s director and his deputy were nine mostly luxury vehicles, expensive watches, jewellery and 94 high-end handbags.
The cash – RM45mil seized from the director and RM7.5mil from his deputy – was found stashed inside safes, cupboards, drawers and also a car boot, according to the MACC.
Also seized was RM1.18mil in over half-a-dozen foreign currencies.
The two senior state civil officers were arrested yesterday and remanded for a week for investigations into alleged kickbacks involving RM3.3bil worth of federal projects.
“It is the highest amount of cash we have ever recovered in our history as MACC or when we were known as the Anti-Corruption Agency,” newly-promoted MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki told a news conference here.
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 The bags in the boot of the accused’s car were believed to have contained vast amounts of cash. |
A 55-year-old businessman with a Datuk title, who is believed to be the brother of the deputy director, and his company accountant have also been arrested in connection with the probe.
In what is shaping up to be the nation’s biggest corruption and money laundering investigations, the MACC has frozen some RM60mil in accounts of the two officials and also the company they purportedly have links to.
“In cash and bank accounts, we have seized RM114mil in total,” Azam said.
MACC, he added, believed that a large sum of money might also have been channelled to bank accounts in a neighbouring country.
“We will make an effort to get the money back,” he said without disclosing the country or the suspected amount in the accounts.
MACC is also in the process of trying to open five safes at a bank where they expect to recover more cash, said Azam, adding that they needed to follow bank rules to access the safes.
The MACC team also found 127 land titles worth millions of ringgit.
Among the vehicles seized were a BMW 535i (which costs RM500,000), Mercedes-Benz C300 (RM308,000), Range Rover SE V8 (RM1.1mil), Mazda6 (RM195,000), Volvo XC60 (RM270,000), Lexus ES (RM260,000), Audi A1 (RM180,000) and Ford Ranger (RM112,000).
The make of the ninth vehicle is unknown. In all, the cars total some RM3mil in value.
The luxury watches comprised brands like Patek Philippe, Tag Heuer, Rolex, Cartier and Guess while the handbags included Chanel, Burberry, Versace, Louis Vuitton and Hermes.
“We are checking the authenticity of the branded goods and jewellery. We can’t put a value to them now.
“The amount of money we have seized does not commensurate with their salaries,” said Azam without disclosing the identity of the two government officers.
“We are also calling in more individuals to help facilitate investigations,” he said, adding that the suspects and all those who had been called in so far gave their full cooperation.
MACC, he added, hoped that more people would come out and assist in its investigations as it would not hesitate to arrest them if they failed to cooperate.
Azam said MACC started its investigations about a year ago following reports from the public.
“We have been carrying out intelligence gathering and surveillance on the duo and their business associates.
“The suspects have allowed for the monopoly of projects and prevented other contractors from getting a fair share of business,” said Azam.
He said MACC believed their activity had been going on since 2010.
Azam said the two were suspected of giving out contracts to certain companies owned by their relatives, resulting in many other contractors not getting jobs for water-related projects involving some RM3.3bil from the Federal Government.
“There have been many complaints by other contractors that they were not able to get projects,” he said.
On the cash and other funds recovered, he said if the court found the money to be ill-gotten, it would be returned to the Government.
Earlier yesterday, magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie granted seven days’ remand for the four after an application was made by MACC investigating officer Mohd Faliq Basiruddin.
Azam said the MACC would apply to extend their remand if it was unable to complete its investigations within the week.“We are still working out the money trail, and it will take some time as it is a complex investigation,” he said."
"Malay rulers demand Putrajaya punish culprits in 1MDB scandal
Officers from the special task force remove a CPU and a box from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad's office at Menara IMC in Kuala Lumpur, July 8, 2015. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — The Conference of Malay Rulers today directed Putrajaya to ensure that 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) is thoroughly investigated and for those found guilty of wrongdoing to be punished.
In a statement issued by the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Datuk Seri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, the sultans also said that investigations must be made public in order to show that nothing was being hidden in the probe on the state-owned investment firm.
“The findings of the investigation must be reported comprehensively and in a transparent manner so that the people will be convinced of the sincerity of the government which shall not at all conceal facts and the truth,” read the statement.
“The failure to give convincing clarifications and answers is feared to have resulted in a crisis of confidence.”
This is the first time the Conference of Malay Rulers has openly commented on the 1MDB controversy that has gained international attention.
Improper handling of the 1MDB controversy and related investigations could also affect the economy and even threaten national security, the rulers said.
“As a consequence, the people believe, whether basing on reality or perception, that this is among the causes for the plunge in the value of the Malaysian Ringgit, impacting the country’s financial market and economic climate negatively and at the same time adversely affecting the world’s view of Malaysia,” they added.
“To ensure that the government enjoys the people’s trust, that leaders are respected, that political stability is guaranteed and that the economy continues to grow, all leaders must constantly ensure that justice is meted out equitably and transparently based on the law.”
In March, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak directed the Public Accounts Committee and the Auditor-General to investigate 1MDB following allegations of mismanagement and impropriety linked to its RM42 billion in debt.
It was later announced that a special taskforce comprising the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Royal Malaysia Police, Bank Negara Malaysia, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission was also investigating the firm.
All the probes were later discontinued or postponed, however, following a shakeup in Putrajaya, the removal of Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as Attorney-General, and the transfers of investigators who were involved in the probe.
Although investigations in Malaysia appear to be stalled, investigators in other countries have since initiated their own probes into 1MDB and related entities, notably in the US, the UK, Switzerland, the SAR of Hong Kong, and Singapore. - themalaymailonline.com"
In what is shaping up to be the nation’s biggest corruption and money laundering investigations, the MACC has frozen some RM60mil in accounts of the two officials and also the company they purportedly have links to.
“In cash and bank accounts, we have seized RM114mil in total,” Azam said.
MACC, he added, believed that a large sum of money might also have been channelled to bank accounts in a neighbouring country.
“We will make an effort to get the money back,” he said without disclosing the country or the suspected amount in the accounts.
MACC is also in the process of trying to open five safes at a bank where they expect to recover more cash, said Azam, adding that they needed to follow bank rules to access the safes.
The MACC team also found 127 land titles worth millions of ringgit.
Among the vehicles seized were a BMW 535i (which costs RM500,000), Mercedes-Benz C300 (RM308,000), Range Rover SE V8 (RM1.1mil), Mazda6 (RM195,000), Volvo XC60 (RM270,000), Lexus ES (RM260,000), Audi A1 (RM180,000) and Ford Ranger (RM112,000).
The make of the ninth vehicle is unknown. In all, the cars total some RM3mil in value.
The luxury watches comprised brands like Patek Philippe, Tag Heuer, Rolex, Cartier and Guess while the handbags included Chanel, Burberry, Versace, Louis Vuitton and Hermes.
“We are checking the authenticity of the branded goods and jewellery. We can’t put a value to them now.
“The amount of money we have seized does not commensurate with their salaries,” said Azam without disclosing the identity of the two government officers.
“We are also calling in more individuals to help facilitate investigations,” he said, adding that the suspects and all those who had been called in so far gave their full cooperation.
MACC, he added, hoped that more people would come out and assist in its investigations as it would not hesitate to arrest them if they failed to cooperate.
Azam said MACC started its investigations about a year ago following reports from the public.
“We have been carrying out intelligence gathering and surveillance on the duo and their business associates.
“The suspects have allowed for the monopoly of projects and prevented other contractors from getting a fair share of business,” said Azam.
He said MACC believed their activity had been going on since 2010.
Azam said the two were suspected of giving out contracts to certain companies owned by their relatives, resulting in many other contractors not getting jobs for water-related projects involving some RM3.3bil from the Federal Government.
“There have been many complaints by other contractors that they were not able to get projects,” he said.
On the cash and other funds recovered, he said if the court found the money to be ill-gotten, it would be returned to the Government.
Earlier yesterday, magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie granted seven days’ remand for the four after an application was made by MACC investigating officer Mohd Faliq Basiruddin.
Azam said the MACC would apply to extend their remand if it was unable to complete its investigations within the week.“We are still working out the money trail, and it will take some time as it is a complex investigation,” he said."
"Malay rulers demand Putrajaya punish culprits in 1MDB scandal
Officers from the special task force remove a CPU and a box from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad's office at Menara IMC in Kuala Lumpur, July 8, 2015. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — The Conference of Malay Rulers today directed Putrajaya to ensure that 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) is thoroughly investigated and for those found guilty of wrongdoing to be punished.
In a statement issued by the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Datuk Seri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, the sultans also said that investigations must be made public in order to show that nothing was being hidden in the probe on the state-owned investment firm.
“The findings of the investigation must be reported comprehensively and in a transparent manner so that the people will be convinced of the sincerity of the government which shall not at all conceal facts and the truth,” read the statement.
“The failure to give convincing clarifications and answers is feared to have resulted in a crisis of confidence.”
This is the first time the Conference of Malay Rulers has openly commented on the 1MDB controversy that has gained international attention.
Improper handling of the 1MDB controversy and related investigations could also affect the economy and even threaten national security, the rulers said.
“As a consequence, the people believe, whether basing on reality or perception, that this is among the causes for the plunge in the value of the Malaysian Ringgit, impacting the country’s financial market and economic climate negatively and at the same time adversely affecting the world’s view of Malaysia,” they added.
“To ensure that the government enjoys the people’s trust, that leaders are respected, that political stability is guaranteed and that the economy continues to grow, all leaders must constantly ensure that justice is meted out equitably and transparently based on the law.”
In March, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak directed the Public Accounts Committee and the Auditor-General to investigate 1MDB following allegations of mismanagement and impropriety linked to its RM42 billion in debt.
It was later announced that a special taskforce comprising the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Royal Malaysia Police, Bank Negara Malaysia, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission was also investigating the firm.
All the probes were later discontinued or postponed, however, following a shakeup in Putrajaya, the removal of Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail as Attorney-General, and the transfers of investigators who were involved in the probe.
Although investigations in Malaysia appear to be stalled, investigators in other countries have since initiated their own probes into 1MDB and related entities, notably in the US, the UK, Switzerland, the SAR of Hong Kong, and Singapore. - themalaymailonline.com"
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